October 17, 2011

PULLED PORK...when those two words are uttered in our house, my family starts to chant, cheer, and drool.

That's right.

Now, I try not to be too bossy, but I can't help myself this time. (Sorry my vegetarian and kosher friends.) The rest of you must try this recipe! It is that easy. That good. And I'm making some right now.

This recipe comes from David Chang (of beloved Momofuku) and his new magazine Lucky Peach. This is the pulled pork Chang sticks in Momofuku's pork buns, bowls of ramen, etc..

We've made this recipe a half dozen times since we discovered it a couple of months ago. We scarf the crispy, juicy, salty pork on its own (with maybe a veggie or two along side just to make us feel healthy.) Pulled pork tacos with radish slices and guacamole have also proved a popular variation on this piggy theme. And if there are ever any leftovers, a sandwich with pork slathered with BBQ sauce is our favorite option.

Now that we are hooked on this pulled pork, I'd love any other ideas you guys might have for ways to eat it. Suggestions, anyone?

Be sure to take into consideration that the pork needs to sit overnight in the fridge with its salt/sugar rub, and it does need to roast for 6 hours in the oven. Be patient. It's worth it!

* An important update on salt. I have found, and gotten reader
feedback, that this pork can tend to be too salty. Feel free to reduce
the salt by 1/2. Also keep in mind that all salts are different. Most professional kitchens use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. Morton's Kosher salt is much more salty.

The next day, preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Place seasoned pork into a roasting pan. We use our trusty cast iron skillet. Toss it in the oven.

Roast for 6 hours. Lucky Peach suggests occasionally basting the pork with the rendered fat and juices after 3 hours. (Honestly, I usually skip the basting and really dig the crispy exterior.)

After 6 hours, take the pork from the oven, let it rest for a half hour or so. Then use forks to break apart the pork. Lucky Peach says to "savage the pork with two forks." I LOVE that!

What else is cooking this week?

Cannellini Bean Soup with Wilted Greens: this soulful recipe from Alice Waters lives deep in my archives, but I've made a couple of batches recently, loved every bite, and I thought you might enjoy it too!

139 comments:

I've never made anything even close to this before! I'm starting to get more and more into meat, though, so I could see this appearing on the table soon. It helps to have a fella who digs meat to the eXtreme, and once worked at a smokehouse down south:)

Adrianna, I figured you would like the recipe, being the bacon-kind-of-girl you are;) And if the reliability of this recipe is any indication of things to come in the cookbook, we can all be psyched!-E

Carolyn, You are totally right. Lucky Peach also gives the recipe for Momofuku's Pork Belly. Same rub, just cooked with different temp instructions. I need to give the pork belly a try too. I bet it is amazing! And now I am remembering your post on the pulled pork buns! I'm adding your link here for others to drool over....

http://www.foodgal.com/2010/02/momofukus-famous-pork-buns/

Thanks Rosa:)

the little loaf, It really is good! I hope you and your boyfriend both like the recipe:)

You make everything look so yummy. Love the photos of your food. I swear we are on the same wave length...I had a pork roast ready and waiting. I am going to try this recipe but in the crock pot. I used to do it in the oven all the time but found out what a crock pot can do for you. Yes, I know, many say it isn't cooking and you don't get the crispy outsides, but it does pull easily...it's so tender and it does taste great on Pamela's GF rolls. I also put chutney all over the roast (any kind) 1 hr before serving. I also like to stab the meat and insert slivers of garlic over the entire roast with salt and pepper. I do this at night and pop it in the fridge. I just pull it out in the morning and put it in the crock pot and turn it on low. 8 hrs. later...YUMM! Thanks for a new way to try pork! Can't wait to try it.

Oli! It does always seem like we are on the same cooking jag. So fun! I bet your crock pot pork is so good. I am always amazed at how tender things are when cooked that way. I don't own a crock pot, but I keep thinking I could fake it with a lidded dutch oven in a low heat oven? And your chutney addition sounds really interesting. You know, I've done the garlic trick with a leg of lamb, but never pork. Yum! Thanks for all those great tips today:)

Hey Kankana, I'm with you... I could live without beef, but pork does call my name. I hope this recipe works for you and you get some pulled pork happiness!

This has become a family favorite around here. The kids devour it with gusto, and I start having visions of my leftovers sandwich with barbeque sauce and arugula while the meat is first cooking in the oven. You should see the look on my colleagues' faces when I pull that out for lunch!

Absolutely delicious! Made this for dinner tonight with green beans and buttercup squash from my CSA- simple and amazingly good! New pork favorite. I literally didn't touch it once it went in the oven. Perfect to make on a Sunday afternoon.

Emily, Your comment made my day. Your dinner sounds so delish and I'm thrilled you that you enjoyed the recipe. Have a great week!

Kelvin, I know the cooking time is long. But I promise you it's worth the wait. I stick the pork in the oven and leave it to cook while I go out and do other things. Luckily, it doesn't really need tending:)

The best thing too about slow cooked meat is the delish smell in the house when you come back in. Yum! Def try slow cooking in the dutch oven Erin - just ball up some foil to rest the meat on so the warm air/steam gets at it on all sides! My fav way of cooking day in day out! Slow cooked whole chicken has never tasted better or more moist! I promise!!!!

Thank you so much for posting this! David Chang's new Sydney restaurant is opening this week, but it will be a while before I get a table - this should more than fill the gap in the mean time! I'm thinking about making a vermicelli rice noodle salad with some of it. LOVE pulled pork, can't wait to make it.

When friends visited recently they brought that copy of Lucky Peach. I'm not sure if I was sadder to see them go, or the magazine. (Just kidding!) I'm planning my husband's b-day party and was going to make pulled pork. Now I know HOW I'm making it. Thank you, as usual, for all of your inspiration. This kind of bossy works for me!

Hey Julia, it's always good to hear from you! I think the pulled pork would be great for your husband's b-day party. My sister in law made this recipe for a crowd - I think she cooked over 20 pounds of pork shoulder! She said it was awesome and happily devoured by all.

JulieBean, Yep, the recipe calls for plain old granulated sugar and salt. I like to use sea salt. If you use table salt you may want to use a little less, because it can be so darned strong. I just took a pork shoulder out of the oven to share with friends tonight. Cannot wait!!-E

I just made this, and it did not disappoint. It's truly brilliant. Thanks so much for sharing this, Erin! I had to savage it with my hands, but I think that's because I used a pork butt instead of a shoulder. It was also a tad bigger, and thus had to cook it longer. There are so many variables even with such a simple recipe! We sliced a chunk off while the rest continued to cook, and had it on rice with cilantro, scallions, and ginger black pepper sauerkraut. I made a little sauce with nam pla, sesame oil and calamondin syrup. Perfection. Maybe tomorrow: pork buns?

Yeah! Julia, I'm so glad you tried the pork, savaged it with your hands (rad!), and were inspired by the whole thing. Rice, cilantro, scallions, and ginger black pepper sauerkraut? That sounds so so good.

Hey Anonymous, Good question.... I guess it depends on how you'll serve the pork. If you are shredding little bits into tacos, filling sandwich buns, or putting it in a salad or soup, you could probably feed 8-10 people. If you are serving big piles of pork for each person, you may only serve 6. I'd always err on the side of making too much - the leftovers are so good!-E

Great question. There is no bone for this recipe. If you do use a bone-in shoulder I would increase the roasting time by an hour or two. If the meat in the center cannot be shredded easily, pulled apart with forks, then it isn't done.

Also with bigger shoulders I just add roasting time. The recipe is quite adaptable and at such low heat, you can add cooking time without much problem.

For most reliable results, try a boneless shoulder next. I think you'll be happy:)

Wow, great technique, but too much salt for our tastes!! I'll try it again but reduce the salt by half or even two-thirds. We don't eat any processed foods, and so maybe we're more sensitive to salt? But the friends we had over thought it was too salty, also. I did use sea salt, thinking I'll use kosher next time as it's less salty (being bigger crystals so less salt to the volume) than sea salt. But thanks for the simple technique!

Hey there Robyn, I think you make a really good point and I so appreciate the feedback. We have now made the Momofuku recipe at least a dozen times and often find it to be a bit on the salty side too. I think the type of salt does make a difference. And I have reduced the salt by half and have still been really happy with the results. I am going to make note in the recipe. Thanks!

Ive made this dish numerous times always with fantastic results. Some minor variations: use of brown sugar for a portion of the regular, addition of white pepper, also tried the coffee mentioned above. Always great.

although, I notice when I season the pork and let it sit overnight, quite a bit of moisture is left in the bottom of the pan. I do cover the pan with saran wrap while its in the fridge. Does this occur with anyone else? Do you discard the extra liquid? Put it in the bottom of the cast iron?

Great to hear about your variations. I must try that coffee - I keep forgetting.

And yes, only once I found the pork released a lot of moisture after sitting overnight in the fridge. I poured the liquid out before I put the pork in the cast iron and the cooked meat seemed just right.

I sadly haven't any experience cooking a sirloin roast. I just looked it up to check out where is comes from on the pig and think it could work. My only concern is if it's fatty enough. You definitely want some nice marbling for a juicy roast. Have you ever slow-cooked a sirloin roast?

Making this tonight... haven't decided whether or not to serve it over some cilantro-lime rice or mash potatoes and a veggie. I also have hawaiian rolls to eat as a sandwich tomorrow. Smelling good already and it's only halfway done!! :)

We really liked it... although the roast I bought was a little too fatty, too big and had a bone in it so It wasn't as easy to shred and outside was done far before inside... next time I'll get a smaller boneless one. We loved it on hawaiian rolls with BBQ sauce and side of garlic mash potatoes and sauteed green beans:) Thanks for the recipe! Flavor was great!

beyond delish! question though. i have a cast iron cooker and i wasnt sure if this should be cooked covered or uncovered? so i did half and half. want to know how you do it though to make it get so crispy!

I finally made this tonight! It was super easy and sooo good! We used it for tacos and have some leftovers for lunch tomorrow with rice and veggies.I'm already planning to make this again in a couple of weeks, we're definitely hooked now!

I've made this recipe about 5 or 6 times over the last couple of years. I found it initially on Working Class Foodie's website under "Momofuko's Bo Ssam" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlKhRwhvS4g). It's a great video and the dipping sauces they show have become staples in my repertoire. They recommend rinsing the brine off which I heartily agree with. The brined meat is beautifully flavoured and so tasty that the added salt wouldn't be missed. I keep an eye out for pork picnic on sale and usually pick a couple up to keep in my freezer in case I get the urge. Which is probably going to be sometime this week now that I've seen this... *yum*

I'm kicking myself for thinking a two pound shoulder would be enough for just me and the hubs. I see a trip back to the market for another roast in my immediate future! This could easily become a weekly staple in our house, so delicious and nearly effortless!!

This is very similar to a recipe I have used for basic pulled pork for some time, except that I use brown sugar and some red pepper flakes. My bunch likes it best with my BBQ sauce added after the pork is "savaged", and allowed to cook another 30 min to blend the flavors (almost all drippings drained off first). Best BBQ sliders I've found.

I put the fat side down and I prefer bone-out. I've had much more consistent results with a boneless shoulder. Also be conscious of the salt issue. Under-salt if you're worried.Enjoy your pulled pork. It's one of our family's favorite treats.-E

We've been making pulled pork in a slow cooker for years. Slice a large onion, top with pork and a dose of bbq sauce, cook on low all day (8-9 hrs).

I tried this recipe in a slow cooker and it turned out great. I was surprised that the meat developed a crust similar to cooking it in an oven. We defatted the cooking juice and added some back into shredded meat to keep it moist. Mmm. I dialed back the salt in case closed cooking concentrated the flavor. Will probably use more next time.

Hey there cmovic,Thanks for this wonderful and super helpful comment. The salt issue can be so challenging.And I'm with you... I always add cooking juices back into the meat - makes it so moist and delish!-E

Sounds like a great recipe. I too add garlic slivers into my roast. One the first night, I usually have with potatoes and a veg. Monday maybe tacos, Tues probably in a fried rice, Wed. enchiladas with a mole sauce, and if there's any left it's bbq pulled pork sammies. Yum yum.

I made this today. In fact, I just pulled it out of the oven.. after only 3.75 hours and it's way over cooked-bone dry and the bottom is burnt. I got the temp right but I used a smaller hunk of meat, just over 2 lbs. Could that be my problem?

Oh no Amanda. I'm SO sorry to hear this. The smaller piece of meat would definitely lower the cooking time - could even do so by half. But the fact that your pork was burned and so dry makes me wonder about the oven. Have you ever had such problems before? My own oven seemed to be running hot at one point and I bought a thermometer at the hardware store and in fact my oven needed to be recalibrated. Even 10-20 degrees could make a huge difference when something cooks for so long.Again I feel so sad about your pork. This recipe has become beloved by so many people I know and I wish it had been good to you too!-E

So sorry to hear it was dry. My thoughts are... 1. If the piece of meat smaller than 3 pounds, it would need less cooking time 2. If the meat was particularly lean - though not sure why it would be - it wouldn't be as succulent. Shoulder should be nice and marbled. 3. Your oven could be running a little high?

hey, seriously, it just means that i have to try it again (in fact i am trying it again right now, although, not so low. doing it at 325, and for however many hours it takes to get tender, and we will see what that yields)!

i think the first shoulder was 2.5 pounds.

THANK YOU for posting this though. it should just be a template. i should know better!

Making this for Super Bowl Sunday. Did it originally with the full amount of salt and sugar (Morton's) and it definitely salty. If this happens, you can always balance it out with a less salty sauce. Got a 10lb. shoulder this year and broke it down into 2 halves. Can't wait to try more recipes from this site.

Erin . . . I just have to say THANK YOU for the easy peasy recipe. I had a rather large bone-in pork roast that went into the oven at 7:30 this morning and came out of the oven at 5:00 tonight. It probably could have gone another hour but the smells from the oven were overwhelming and we couldn't wait any longer. The meat was starting to fall off the bone. This meat is to die for. I've got all kinds of left-over ideas running through my head right now. I did separate some of the meat and liberally pour barbeque sauce on top for dinner tomorrow.

Hi Erin,Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe. The first time I made it I used a roasting pan and basted, after savaging with forks I transferred a portion to my cast iron skillet with some Annie's BBQ sauce and served it with greens made with drippings from the roast pan. So wonderful!I'm making it again for my boyfriends parents visiting, they can easily beast up for lunch while we're at work. Scoring me points with the parents! Thanks again, you are fantastic!

Amanda, thank you for your nice note! I love hearing how the recipes work in other people's kitchens... and I'm so happy to help you score points with your boyfriend's parents:)Funny enough, we made the pulled pork last night ourselves. I think we've now made this recipe for everyone we know. Always a crowd-pleaser!xoxoE

Hi. This recipe is fantastic, thanks so much for posting it. I've made it often and it's a family favorite. I think the issue with the salt is in the interpretation of how to calculate the amount. It states 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon per pound. So, I think that means 1 Tbs + (1 Tsp X # of pounds). It does not mean (1 Tbs + 1 Tsp) X # pounds. So, for a 4 pound roast, it should be 1 Tbs + 4 Tsp = 7 Tsp of salt versus 4 Tbs + 4 Tsp = 16 Tsp. Same for the sugar. Thanks again. Peter

Peter, thanks so much for this comment. You really got me thinking!!.. so much so that I went back to look at my copy of the first issue of Lucky Peach, where I got the recipe originally. In fact, it says that it is (1 T + 1 t) salt and sugar per pound. We've found that if we use diamond kosher salt it really works, but sea salt or regular table salt is way too strong.

You do bring up a very great point that the recipe is in fact quite flexible. Less salt and sugar still works.

Looks amazing!!! Maybe I would pair it with homemade BBQ sauce and garlic mashed potatoes. This is a great dish for fall or winter. I agree this would make a great leftover. It would be great with some cabbage slaw in between toasted ciabatta slices.Thanks for the yummy recipe :)

I tried this recipe yesterday for the first time. I was extremely nervous despite how easy the recipe is because I am new to cooking big hunks of meat (aside from boiling whole chicken). It turned out BEAUTIFULLY tho. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I'm so sad I do not have any leftovers, but I'm happy the reason is because my guests loved it! I served it alongside homemade Alabama White Bbq Sauce, which was the perfect accompaniment. Thank you again!

Lynda, I'm so glad the recipe worked for you! We just made the pulled pork yesterday ourselves. Great minds;)I warn you, you'll be making this pork many times over the years - it's always a crowd-pleaser!-E

I have been wanting to try this for awhile and today I did. Did it with a 4.5 pound bone in Boston Butt. I cooked it at 250 degrees for 8 hours in a cast iron skillet. I only used half of the salt and sugar to be on the safe side. It came out perfect and I served it with broccoli au gratin rice, garlic toast, and salted and black peppered yellow tomato slices. Thanks for this!